A riderless motorcycle went on a three-kilometre solo blast down the N1 north of Cape Town after its rider and passenger struck a pedestrian and were flung off.
Cape Town Traffic Services spokesman Richard Coleman said it was understood the motorcyclist was riding towards Cape Town on Sunday morning when the bike hit a pedestrian between Sable and Koeberg roads.
“The motorcyclist came off the bike, which kept on going along the N1 and up the off-ramp towards the M5.”
Trevor Lawrence of The Misting Company, a Cape Town humidity control firm, was a startled witness.
“We were travelling along the N1 towards Cape Town about 8.30am when I heard a motorcycle behind me,” he said. “I looked to my left and saw a Honda CBR900 Fireblade coming past me nobody on board…
GHOST RIDER ON A SUNDAY JAUNT
“It was absolutely hairy. We had four people in the car and we all thought we’d had a rough night, that we were hallucinating.
“The motorcycle was running along the armco barrier, touching every now and then, the barrier keeping the bike upright.”
A former rider, Lawrence said he knew that with enough momentum, and if its throttle was stuck, a bike could indeed continue without a rider.
“We saw a pedestrian ahead, in the yellow line, and tried to hoot to warn him, but he didn’t hear. I think it was just as well he didn’t hear because he didn’t even turn around when the bike just missed him.
“You could see his clothes move it was so close.”
“I went and told a policeman, after Sable Road, but before the off-ramp, that a bike had come past without a rider, and I think he also thought I was off my head.
“We drove on, following what we surmised was the route and eventually the motorcycle came to a standstill at Berkley Road off-ramp to the M5.”
Coleman reported that two lanes were closed on the N1 and that a Toyota Camry had later swerved out of the way of the closed-land beacons and had hit the barrier.
We were unable to ascertain on Monday whether the bike's rider, his pillion or the pedestrian had survived. - Cape Argus
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